Run-fest as Hucknall and Ordsall attack from start

Both innings followed a very similar path with T20 type starts, mini collapses, recovery and then good finishes but it was Hucknall who were on the losing side as Ordsall Bridon reached the target of 258 with nearly three overs to spare.

Ordsall Bridon were making their first ever visit to Hucknall and were in the field for the first half as Robin Maxwell elected for his players to sun bathe.

The start was astonishing as openers Josh Downie and Aaron Simpson had 38 on the board inside four overs. Downie in particular hammered a number of boundaries so it was a relief to Ordsall Bridon when Simpson drove Daren Andrews to point for a low catch.

Dale Campbell quickly followed with a three ball duck, his first ever at the New Gatehouse as Ordsall Bridon turned to their spinners Gary Andrews and Martyn Long.

Meanwhile Downie went to his first Premier League half century off just 27 balls with 11 boundaries but his superb knock was ended soon afterwards adjudged lbw to Andrews for 52.

Scott Harris hit the first six of the innings but went for a slog against Long to be bowled leaving Hucknall on 88-4 and threatening to make a mess of a fine start. Maxwell hung around for a while with Richard Greatorex until he was bowled for 22 off his pads looking to clip a ball through the leg side from Long.

Lee Smith was then run out as he and Greatorex got into a right old mess on whether a third run was possible. The batsman left the field devastated at his demise. 140-6 now left Hucknall in a pickle but then recovery as Greatorex found Suhail Ahmed in good touch and they put 93 on for the seventh wicket to rescue the innings. Greatorex went to his second consecutive half century off 79 balls until Ahmed was bowled for 31 by the returning opening bowler Jake Tong.

Greatorex finally fell, literally, as he slipped trying to turn back and was easily run out for an outstanding 88 off 110 balls. Hucknall’s innings ended on 257-8 with Max Thompson surviving the last ball as he stumbled in his run, dropped his bat and finally belly flopped into the crease.

Hucknall were in the game but there was a thought they were short of where they might have been after the start. Ordsall Bridon had no doubt they could chase it down as they came out and played like Hucknall’s openers only even more aggressively.

Josh Marsh and Long were rattling along as Joel Wright and Suhail Ahmed were put to the sword. They had a hundred on the board in no time both reaching half centuries, Long’s his first of the Premier League season and Marsh his second which became a season best of 67.

At 136 without loss Hucknall were desperate for a wicket and then Ordsall Bridon had their own mini collapse as four wickets fell for 22. Will Spray made the breathrough dismissing both openers in two balls, firstly Marsh and then next ball Long for 54 to put him on a hat trick which wasn’t to be.

However Wright returned at the Hayden Lane end and had Mathew Roberts lbw and then Max Thompson had Paul Van Den Heuval superbly caught at square leg by Maxwell who took a camera pleasing one handed catch high to his right.

Now it was Ordsall Bridon’s need to recover and they did so as captain James Brice and Liam Andrews put on 60 for the fifth wicket to calm things down and put them back onto the road to victory. Andrews went to his Premier League season best of 41 before he was bowled by Downie. It heralded another mini collapse as three wickets fell for 18 as Downie took another wicket and Maxwell nipped in for one.

Now 22 were needed with three wickets left but Brice marshalled his side over the line for a great win for them and a damaging defeat for Hucknall.

Nevertheless Hucknall had been competitive throughout. Spray was the pick of the bowlers with 2-32 off eight overs.